Happy New Year, Through The Decades In the Central Susquehanna Valley

 

Assorted Stories, Photos, and History from New Years Eve, and New years Day, in the Susquehanna Valley

Order a Case Of Fine Pale from Koch's to celebrate the New Year
Advertisement in The Williamsport Gazette, 1914

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In 1905, Adolph Ochs, owner of the New York Times, began a tradition of a New Years eve party with fireworks, originally to celebrate the opening of his newspapers new headquarters at one Times Square.  Traditionally New Yorkers would gather at Wall Streets Trinity Church to hear the bells ring on New Years Eve, but Adolphs fireworks display quickly became the more popular event.

 Two years later, in 1907, the city, concerned that the embers would spark a fire,  banned fireworks displays.  Walter F. Palmer, editor of the Times, suggested Adolph create a Time Ball to replace the fireworks. Adolph hired Artkraft Strauss to build the ball, which was composed of wood and iron and 100 light bulbs.  The ball weighed over 700lbs, and measured 5 feet in diameter.   And thus began our new years eve tradition of watching the ball drop.

According to a 2018 article in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Pennsylvania has more unique, and downright nutty, New Years Eve drops than any other state.  Here's a look at some of the items dropped around the state, to count down to the start of the new year:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-histories-behind-unique-things-that.html

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An elaborate Mummers Day Parade used to be held each New Years Day in Danville, with many elaborate costumes and displays.  See photos of some of the parades here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/01/when-danville-had-mummers-day-parade.html

Note: A Mummers Day Parade was held in Lewisburg in 1912, and regularly in Sunbury through 1917.

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What Is A Mummer, and Why A New Years Parade?

The tradition of Mummery - dressing in outrageous costume to perform silly dances, plays, & songs - can be traced back to the middle ages. In Philadelphia, the Scandinavian tradition of ringing in the new year loudly and boldly, combined with the British new years tradition of dressing in lavish costumes to perform George & The Dragon (with much "tomfoolery") combined into a raucous Mummers display each New year. Before long the families and friends had formed clubs, and with much rivalry, sought to outdo each other in costumes and performances. Although parades were organized as early as 1890, it was in 1901 that the city proclaimed the Mummers Day Parade to be an official event in one location, and it continues today, making it the oldest Folk Festival Parade in America.

See More Here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-is-mummer-why-parade.html

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New Years In Milton, 1912

As reported by the Miltonian

"A few scattering mummers made merry"

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Why Do We Eat Pork and Sauerkraut on New Years Day?

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-pork-sauerkraut-on-new-years-day.html

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New Years in Sunbury, 1918

On New Years Day 1918, "three lonely girls were on the streets last night in Mummers costumes, and after half an hours frolic returned to their homes."  The Mummers Parade in Sunbury was cancelled in 1918, "due to the fact that the club took part in the festivities of the Six Counties Firemans Convention last June"

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Old Father Time, by Henry Irving Greene

Published In The Lewisburg Journal 1916

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New Years Bells By Alfred Tennyson

As published in the Sunbury Daily Item, 1918

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind

For those that here we see no more;

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

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New Years Customs Around The World

As Printed in a 1904 edition of the Lewisburg Journal

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